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These Russians are destroying MMA

Kind of interesting that after drug testing came to play, all these international fighters from small corners of the world started to do better in the UFC. Most of the US stars vanished, where drug testing infrastructure is most involved. Surely a coincidence. A small change in drug testing policy ends up with a whole new roster of champions.
 
Limeade said:
Alfie Davis in PFL won his matchup and the Paul the real Irishman Hughes had a good showing too.

It ebbs and flows. Someone will figure out the counter and then it will repeat.
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GrantB13 said:
Then beat them. It's only cyclical anyway. The game evolves and eventually there will be an answer or one of them will get caught at some point. Nothing in MMA is forever.
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Nah. Using your whole body to acquire and maintain superior position on your opponent is the best way to win a fight. Human emptyhanded combat has been solved. Wrestling > BJJ > Striking

Edit: this is notwithstanding gloves to protect strikers' hands, no leg strikes to the head of a grounded opponent, and rounds and ref standups to get you out of inferior grappling positions.
 
Fighters will adjust, life will continue. RDR, Hernandez, Borralho, and Imavov all got a real good look at what Khamzat's bringing to the table. Controlling DDP for 25 minutes will not be lost on them.

Honestly, this is the best thing that could have happened for the division with respect to training. If Khamzat had come out and nuked DDP in two minutes then Khamzat's peers might have thought well that won't happen to me. Nobody will won't to suffer the absolute embarrassment that DDP did. Their training habits will be modified to take into account for what they just saw. May not matter, but things will change.
 
Dark Lord said:
Something needs to be done.
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Ppl here want MMA but ofc fighters should box. Ppl here don't want to watch a boxing match because it's not MMA. Ppl here are funny.
If you can't defend a takedown just blame the opponent, right?
Ppl here are funny
 
650lb Sumo said:
Nah. Using your whole body to acquire and maintain superior position on your opponent is the best way to win a fight. Human emptyhanded combat has been solved. Wrestling > BJJ > Striking

Edit: this is notwithstanding gloves to protect strikers' hands, no leg strikes to the head of a grounded opponent, and rounds and ref standups to get you out of inferior grappling positions.
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"It's unbeatable when it works perfectly and the opponent can't get out of it" is basically what this means. What about a striker who doesn't get taken down and knocks the wrestler out? There is no *answer* to fighting.
 
NoStoneUnturned said:
Fighters will adjust, life will continue. RDR, Hernandez, Borralho, and Imavov all got a real good look at what Khamzat's bringing to the table. Controlling DDP for 25 minutes will not be lost on them.

Honestly, this is the best thing that could have happened for the division with respect to training. If Khamzat had come out and nuked DDP in two minutes then Khamzat's peers might have thought well that won't happen to me. Nobody will won't to suffer the absolute embarrassment that DDP did. Their training habits will be modified to take into account for what they just saw. May not matter, but things will change.
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They've had a real good look before. He did exactly the same thing to Usman, who had 100% TDD prior.

This is GSP level or higher takedowns and control. It's unlikely to be figured out or adjusted to any time soon.
 
Susurkaev fought nothing like the russians, he even got the stanky leg for a second, however he was there to bang.
 
One 4 oz MT will give you pure striking.
Karate Combat will give you GnP as well.

What is the problem? If in the future all the ranked fighters are from the Caucasus (or other regions adapt to the skill issue) they will cancel out each others wrestling/grappling with beautiful TDD, scrambles etc. and you will see more striking. Merab vs Umar or Islam vs Arman etc. will then become the standard, not boring at all I think even casuals would agree.

Until then clowns that can't handle Caucasus wrestling/grappling will get weeded out first, suck it up snowflakes.
 
mkt said:
Been over this many times, but

  • Not nearly as much money in the U.S. for MMA as there in pro football, basketball, baseball, hockey or boxing (and even tennis, golf, etc.) so MMA doesn't attract the top-tier athletes like some other countries
  • Best college wrestlers get a late start to MMA in their early to mid-20s at the youngest. Then they have to cross-train and get the experience before getting too old. And some like Bo Nickal don't have the physical/mental gifts to pick up other areas of MMA.
  • The E. European and Brazilan fighters start early (teens) learning all aspects of MMA
  • There are a few exceptions. Brady and Fluffly seem to be the newer breed of better American MMA stars. Unfortunately for Flully, he's in a division with the most dominant wrestler so he's got a huge task to win the belt. Brady may have a good chance at WW.
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MMA has not been the main sport in any country. Football, rugby, and basketball players make more money. Even Olympic wrestling and boxing teams make good money in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
At least half of the champs started MMA in their 20s. Just yesterday, you had Chimaev, who transitioned from freestyle to MMA in his 20s, and Prates, who was a Nak Muay taking a few MMA fights until 3-4 years ago. Transitioning athletes is quite random. Imavov, who transitioned from boxing when he knew he would not make it to the Olympics, is facing Borralho, who was a high-level judoka for the next TS next month. Even in Team Khabib, you have guys who transitioned late from freestyle wrestling (Khaybullaev) or MT (Zaynukov)
I would have said if there is one country with guys starting in MMA, it would be the US: Elijah Smith is the son of Gilbert Smith, who was in the UFC, O'Malley started in MMA, the early bloomers like Van, Rosas Jr, etc. have for sure started in MMA
 
I agree that something needs to be done, but imo its not a rule change, its finding some way to neutralise that wrestling style

Lay and pray is boring but Khamzat was both dominant and active the whole fight, so imo its tough to argue that it shouldn't be allowed imo. My hope is that it forces the sport to evolve to deal with it rather than just outlawing it
 
Koala said:
I would have said if there is one country with guys starting in MMA, it would be the US: Elijah Smith is the son of Gilbert Smith, who was in the UFC, O'Malley started in MMA, the early bloomers like Van, Rosas Jr, etc. have for sure started in MMA
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Nah, I'd say Brazil, especially if consider the history of NHB/MMA. Vitor had his first fight at 19, Wand at 20, Aldo and Barao at 18, Oliveira at 19, many others.
 
Dark Lord said:
Something needs to be done.
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Like the other fighters training to get to their feet? It's like when Mark Coleman was dominating, once guys like Maurice Smith could get back to their feet it was party time, and DDP would have won a stand up battle yesterday easily I reckon. But he couldn't get it on the feet barely at all.
 
Gracie beat Beast Severn, a very solid wrestler MMA fighter from that era.

hagestad said:
Absolutely not. First few UFC events were using hand picked fighters that gracie could beat. There is no chance in hell Royce would beet more accomplished wrestlers of the time if they knew basic escapes/both hands in or out rules.
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